Our Building

Our Building

Our building is built on the foundation of Jewish History and the traditions of those that have gone before us. With that in mind, we have tried to incorporate symbols and materials that have historical Jewish resonance.

Cedars of Lebanon and Acacia, שיטים are featured throughout the Synagogue interior; these were the woods prescribed for the building of the Ark and the walls of the משכן, the Tabernacle.

Bronze, נחשת, is the metal of choice in the main sanctuary; it was the primary metal used in the construction of the משכן and specifically in the building of the מזבח הקטרת, the Incense Altar.

Carpet throughout the building is a rich blue, similar to תכלת, a color used widely in the משכן as well as in ציצית, the ritual fringes of a prayer shawl. The rich blue helps us reflect on the heavens above.

The entryway of the building forms the Hebrew letter ר (Raish), symbolic of the word ראש, or beginning. The Hebrew letter ר also is the second letter of the Torah, symbolizing the second permanent home of the LSS community.

The front wall design of the glass façade evokes a Torah Scroll. Divided into five glass ribbons, symbolizing the five books of the חומש, the Pentateuch, the undulating glass ribbons are reminiscent of the parchment of the Torah scroll as it is lifted in front of the community.

The 613 lights in the Nathaniel Richman Cohen Sanctuary, equaling the number of מצװת in the Torah, are meant to resemble the stars in the night sky. The lights were positioned by a mathematical formula to symbolize that although we may not be able to see it, God’s plan is always underlying.

Most importantly, we want our shul to be welcoming to everyone. To that end, the Nathaniel Richman Cohen Sanctuary ‒ named after a beloved member of our Synagogue who used a wheelchair ‒ is completely wheelchair accessible, from the Aron Kodesh to the Bima to the Amud. Wheelchair seating is available and a rear sound circle is meant to enhance sound for those with hearing impairments.